Three-quarters of waste crimes going unreported

The 2025 National Waste Crime Survey reveals that 20 per cent of waste organisations estimate that their competitors are guilty of criminal activity. The Environment Agency (EA) gathered the research in February 2025, targeting insights from 764 respondents from landowners and farmers, the waste industry and service providers. 

The survey estimates a fifth of all waste in England is illegally managed, up from 18 per cent in 2023. This is equivalent to 38.2 million tonnes, or ‘enough waste to fill Wembley Stadium 35 times’.

The proportion of respondents who feel that overall waste crime is increasing has fallen since 2023. However, small-scale fly tipping was reported to be increasing by the largest proportion of survey participants, affecting half of all survey respondents and 97 per cent of service providers.

Low reporting of waste crime

The survey revealed that only 27 per cent of waste crime is reported, due to mistrust in the ability for the EA to bring justice to the perpetrators. 29 per cent of the waste industry and 23 percent of landowners and farmers said they had not reported to the EA because they have experience of inaction of past reports.

A third who reported an incident to the EA stated they did not receive a follow up. Of the nine per cent who received a follow up action, 85 per cent of those were satisfied with the action.

The survey reveals a varied understanding of how to report different types of waste crime. Respondents were the most confident where to report small scale fly tipping, whereas they were least confident where to report illegal exports.

Limited faith in the Environment Agency

Only 11 per cent feel that the EA is successful at deterring waste crime, and their effectiveness varies across the different types of waste crime. The EA was perceived to be the most effective at combatting illegal exports of waste, and the least useful for small scale fly tipping.

Respondents were more likely to be satisfied with support and advice from local authorities compared to the Environment Agency or DEFRA, though overall satisfaction levels across all authorities remained relatively low

The cost of criminal activity 

It is estimated that waste crime cost the survey respondents a combined £60-89 million in the last 12 months, and overall, it costs the national economy approximately £1 billion per year.

Waste mis-description accounts for £16 million of the cost to the survey participants, allowing criminals to avoid waste management fees and instead passing them onto others in the system. It was estimated that, in the last 12 months, organisations who mis-describe waste evaded 36 per cent of their landfill tax bill.

42 per cent of waste industry respondents agree that waste-misdescription is currently a daily occurrence. They believe that 23 per cent of all waste is misdescribed, estimating that one in four of their competitors mis-describe waste.

The survey also reported a varied understanding of ‘duty of care’ requirements. 95 per cent of respondents working in waste treatment and/or disposal reported being ‘fully’ confident in understanding duty of care requirements. This was the lowest for land/owners and farmers with 39 per cent reporting full understanding.

Illegal waste sites were reported to incur the greatest financial impact. 43 per cent of those who said they had been affected estimated the cost to them was greater than £50,000.

Motivators of waste crime

The presence of organised crime groups has seen a reported increase, with respondents estimating 35 per cent of all incidents were committed by criminal gangs. 89 per cent feel all waste crimes are committed by repeat offenders.

84 per cent estimate the size of financial gains is the largest motivator. 77 per cent blame the low likelihood of detection for waste crime whilst 68 per cent place the onus on the low likelihood of penalties.

Exploring the national issues driving criminal activity, the survey highlighted the impact of recent inflation, incentivising households and businesses to seek low-cost waste services operating outside legal requirements. Additionally, more than half of the survey respondents ‘felt the additional financial pressures on businesses working in the waste industry also increased waste crime activity’.

Addressing the issues in the report the EA states: “Waste crime is a threat to the circular economy, restricting sustainable growth of a sector that is crucial to achieving circularity, as well as directly removing waste from the legitimate cycle.”

The findings of this survey will be used to inform the Environment Agency’s strategic approach to eliminate waste crime by 2042.